Austria’s Best Summit Platforms: Public Screening the Austrian Way
Summer in Austria is best enjoyed in the mountains! Nothing quite beats the feeling of looking down on the world from a summit.
The Austrian cultural summer hits right at the heart: city breaks guiding you in pulsating quarters, into museums and to the most famous sights. Austria's cities surprise and make curious – and even make you hungry for more. #feelAustria
People with a love of art, culture and city trips know the feeling of literally sinking into excitement: Painting in museums, fascinating and captivating. Living history in castles and palaces. Paths in historic towns that cast a spell over you. Heart palpitations included! Art and culture are, after all, among the most important parameters of being human. They transport you to another world, inspire mind and soul - and often your own creativity. The multitude of cultural offers is typical for Austria. The term binge-watching is on the tip of the tongue: the devotion to the breathless visual experience. For those who love to soak up art and culture, city breaks in Austria are just the ticket. This is a holiday where your heart beats to the rhythm of the city.
How about a city trip to Graz, for example, bursting with sights? A walk up the Schlossberg, past the clock tower, with a view of Graz's old town. Or would you rather go to Vienna, the proud cultural capital of Austria - history and stories around every corner. To marvel in front of genuine masterpieces by Schiele, Klimt and Lassnig is incomparable. And to feel the soul of the cities, a visit to a coffee house should definitely be on the daily agenda. #feelAustria
Every day we should listen to at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words.
With its 6,000 works, the Leopold Museum houses one of the world's most important collections of Austrian art from the second half of the 19th century and Modernism. The creators, Rudolf and Elisabeth Leopold, put together this unique collection, which includes the largest and most important Schiele collection in the world, various masterpieces by Gustav Klimt, as well as furniture and decorative works from the Art Nouveau and Wiener Werkstätte (Viennese Workshops) movements, over the course of five decades.
The Leopold Museum is showcasing impressive special exhibitions in 2023, one of them being "Amazing - The Würth Collection", which is one of the largest private collections in Europe. Another one highlights the works of "Max Oppenheimer", an Expressionist pioneer.
The Graz Clock Tower sits on the Schlossberg, high above the UNESCO World Heritage city. From here, hearts beat faster at the view of the historic roofs of Graz's old town. Historical monuments meet modern architecture here. For example, the Kunsthaus Graz, affectionately called the "Friendly Alien" by the people of Graz. Or Graz Castle, which houses the Gothic double spiral staircase. Because of its idiosyncratic construction, it is often interpreted as a symbol of eternity and is one of the most important Gothic staircases in Europe. For insiders, it is also known as the "staircase of reconciliation": Separate paths always lead back together here.
But Graz also more than lives up to its reputation as the "City of Design". In the creative quarter around Lendplatz, connoisseurs browse for unusual design products and enjoy life in the hip cafés.
Salzburg owes its worldwide fame to the incomparable charm of the city, the scenic beauty of its surroundings and the coincidental fact, that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born here in 1756.
The city has so many facets, from the beautiful architecture, which got it on the UNESCO World Heritage List, to being the "City of Music" not only during the Salzburg Festival season, magnificent gardens to wander in like the Mirabell Gardens, and interesting museums to visit like Hangar-7.
Salzburg of course also provides for your taste buds, with beautiful centuries-old coffee houses, and a history of beer-brewing, dating back more than 600 years.
Coffeehouses belong to Vienna like Mozart belongs to Salzburg. However, most people don't just stop at one of the time-honoured, elegant cafés to get their caffeine fix. Spending time at the coffeehouse is far more a culture that is all about relaxed contemplation and lively conversation. Marble tables, upholstered sofas, and local and international newspapers in their own bentwood holders are part of the furnishings of the old Viennese coffeehouses. The melange and other coffee specialities are served on a silver tray – always accompanied by a glass of fresh mountain spring water. Social etiquette and the elegance of the waiters dressed in black vests complete the unique atmosphere. They may be a little bit terse, but that's all part of the Viennese charm. The love for coffeehouses is present in other Austrian cities too, and you will find plenty of trendy cafés across the country.
The Viennese coffee house is a special kind of institution that cannot be compared to any other in the world.
Those seeking a quieter pace need look no further than Austria's Small Historic Towns, scattered throughout the country like precious gemstones. Towns such as Bludenz in Vorarlberg, Bad Ischl in Upper Austria or Hallein near Salzburg invite visitors to share their history, hospitality, and romantic flair.
We recommend three routes for a round trip through Austria, which lead past the loveliest Small Historic Towns – where the clocks tick slower, such as in the narrow streets of Kufstein or in the more than 1,000-year-old town of Steyr in Upper Austria and its historic square that is one of the most well-preserved in the German-speaking area. Another route begins in the spa town of Baden, known for its 19th century Biedermeier buildings.
In urban spaces in particular, we are always looking for places to take a deep breath and relax. There are plenty of such spots to be found in Austria's cities, in the shape of green oases, parks, and local recreation areas. There are also large meadow areas and avenues of trees to help against the summer heat in the city.
Because the city and recharging your batteries outdoors are not a contradiction, but rather an exciting symbiosis. From invigorating spots to innovative green projects within the urban environment – the power of nature is ever-present.
Summer in Austria is best enjoyed in the mountains! Nothing quite beats the feeling of looking down on the world from a summit.
The sun in your face, a view with wow effect, and on top of that fine food: from lakeside restaurants to rustic mountain huts.
Austria is considered the "land of water" among the Alpine countries. Vienna’s drinking water is especially famous.
Austria's most beautiful bathing lakes to spend a summer day swimming, paddling - or just lazing around all day.